1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monitoring system and specifically to a system for use in medical applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are particular areas where relatively constant monitoring of certain vital signs of a person are desirable but, at the same time the person is ambulatory and does not need hospitalisation.
For example, for a person who has a heart attack occurrence it may be desirable to monitor heart rate over a relatively short period whilst the person is recuperating whilst an elderly person with a heart condition or, say, diabetes may need constant monitoring for substantial periods, such as years.
There are, today, many sophisticated monitoring systems one, for example, is described in Patent Cooperation Treaty Application No. PCT/AU01/01240 where various types of monitors can be connected to an electrode and, provided the monitor is close to the electrode, then it receives a message from the electrode so the user does not have to be physically connected to the monitor.
It is also known to use the telephone system to provide a monitor with input material, such arrangements being commonly used with ECG's where the result of the electrodes are transmitted by way of a modem on a standard telephone line to remote recording apparatus. There are also similar systems, for example as illustrated in PCT Patent specification WO 94/01039 of Jacob Segalowitz where the transmission is by way of a radio transmitter. These systems are basically short term arrangements whilst a particular reading is being taken.
There has also been proposed, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,416,471 and arrangement where vital signs are measured and are fed to a small signal transfer unit which transmits signals to a base station which, in turn can transmit signals along conventional telephone lines. It is necessary for tis system to work that the signal transfer unit remain within a limited distance of the base station.